Emergency-clamp for vehicle-springs.



J.-BADLAT.

EMERGENCY CLAMP FOR VEHICLE SPRINGS.- APPLICATION FILED OCT. 7. 1915.'

1,179,888. Patented Apr. 18, 1916.

L? in 6 6 j v a m l I MM, 73%,

JAMES BADLAT, OF ARGHBALD, PENNSYLVANIA.

EMERGENCY-CLAMP FOE VEHICLE-SPRINGS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 18, 1916.

Application filed October 7, 1915. Serial No. 54,621.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES BADLAT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Archbald, in the county of Lackawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Emergency-Clamps for Vehicle-Springs, of which the following is a specifications This invention relates to vehicle springs, and its object is to provide an emergency repair device which maybe easily and quickly applied to a broken spring, and which will enable such spring to effectively perform its functions until a new one. can be obtained.

More specifically, the invention seeks to In order that the inventlon may be clearly understood, reference is had to the accom panying drawing, forming part of this specification, and in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my mproved clamp complete; Fig. 2' is a side elevation showing the method of using the clamp for repairing a semi-elliptic spr ng broken at itsmiddle; Fig. 3 is a sim lar view showing the clamp used for repairlng such a spring broken intermediate the middle and one end; Fig. 4; is a similar View, illustrating my improved clamp 1n position on a spring the extreme end or which has been broken off; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the clamp; Fig. 6 is a plan view of the brace striphereinafter referred to; and, Fig. 7 is a central transverse section through the plate and block forming part of the clamp.

Referring to the drawings in detail, my improved clamp comprises a heavy metal plate 1, which is preferably of such thickness as to be substantially rigid. As clearly shown in the drawings, this plate is arched upwardly and is provided at its ends wlth eyes 2 and 3. The eye 2 is of greater width and greater diameter than the eye 2?, and 1s therefore adapted for use in connectlonwith alarger spring.

At each end of the plate 1 are prov1ded laterally projecting lugs 4, having holes through which pass bolts 5. Each pair of these bolts also passes through a yoke 6, there being one of these yokes at each end of the clamp, and a brace strip 7 rests upon and is supported by the yokes 6. As clearly shown 111 Fig. 6, this brace strip 7 is preferably provided at its ends with lateral notches 8, adapted to engage the bolts 5 and thus hold the strip in position. Secured to the underside of the arche plate 1, at its middle or highest portion, is a block 9, preferably formed of wood. This block is pivotally secured to the plate 1 by means of a screw 11, the head of which hes at the bottom of a cup-shaped opening 12, formedin the bottom of the block. The lower surface of the block is preferably faced with leather, as indicated at 10, such leather being formed with a slight annular rib 13, surrounding the cup 12, as clearly shown in Fig. 7. There is thus provided a suction cup adapted to, bear upon the surface of the spring and the well known ad- I hesive properties of such a cup have a tendency to assist in holding the clamp in position.

The block 9 is of oblong shape, that is to say, it is longer than it is wide, and is pivotally mounted upon the screw 11 so that it maybe turned as desired.

' In Fig. 2 is illustrated an ordinary semielliptic spring A, secured to an axle or other suitable support B by means of the usual clips C. The spring has the usual eyes D at its ends for connection with the vehicle frame. In this figure the spring is shown as broken in the middle, as indicated at X. To repair such a break, the block 9 is turned so as to extend transversely of the plate 1, and in this position will readily fit between the clips C, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The brace strip 7 is omitted when the clamp is used in this manner and the yokes 6 bear directly against the under surface of the spring. It will be seen that when the bolts 5 are tightened up the two portions of the spring will be securely supported by virtue of the rigid plate 1 and block 9. It will be understood that this block being formed of wood and leather acts somewhat in the nature of acushion and serves to absorb any shocks which may result from the comparative rigidity of the plate 1. Moreover, being of a rather yielding nature, it serves to prevent the nuts on the bolts 5 from rattling loose. In this connection it will be understood that the thickness of the block is slightly greater than the depth of the arch of the plate 1, so that the leather face of the block comes in contact with the spring before the ends'o'f the plate 1"'touch"su'ch whole I clamp attached to a spring the extreme end of which, comprising the eye D, has been broken ofi'. In this case one of the eyes 2 or 3 of the clamp is used to replace the broken eye. It will be seen that the clamp is reversible so that either eye may be employed and as these eyes are made of different sizes, that one is selected which is nearest to the size of the eye carried by the broken spring.

It Will thus be seen that I have provided a clamp which, while simple and cheap of construction, readily lends itself to almost any emergency which may arise in connection with the usual vehicle spring, and it is i thought that the many advantages of the invention will be appreciated without further discussion,

What I claim is:

. 1. An emergency repair device for vehicle each end of the plate for clamping the same to the spring.

' 3. An-emergency repair device for vehicle springs comprising an arched plate, a cushion block secured thereto and adapted to bear against the spring being repaired. said block having a suction cup formed in its bearing surface, and means for clam-ping said plate to a spring.

4. An emergency repair device for vehicle springs comprising a plate, and means for clamping the same tothe spring to be repaired, said plate having an eye at each end, said eyes being of different diameters and widths, whereby they are adapted for repairing springs of difl'erent sizes.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

JAMES BADLAT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. I 

